Student, temp & holiday jobs in Swansea
Cardiff’s little sister is a great place for students – and backpackers too. Curling around the yellow sands of Swansea Bay, this picturesque city has seen fast development during the last five years. Office blocks and new wine bars have sprung up along the seafront stretch.
Swansea profited and fell with the industrial revolution, adapting its economy to service-orientated businesses after the Second World War. Today public services (council, health and education) make up the biggest percentage of jobs at 37.5%, with hospitality making up 25%. This is great news for jobseekers, as clerical and hospitality temporary jobs are usually on offer.
The city has a large student population and an unusually large retail segment, another good source of temporary jobs. Here are some options for temporary work in Swansea:
Temporary Jobs at Playschemes
Swansea City Council runs a number of summer-holiday playschemes for children in venues all around the city. Enrol with the council before the season and you’ll be contacted by playscheme organisers. Of course the best schemes are those in the west of the city, from West Cross to Gower. If you’re lucky you may also be offered a place on the play-training courses that run before the season begins properly. A week or more of learning to play, including workshops on making up stories and building houses from giant boxes – that’s the kind of on-the-job-training we like!
Temp Jobs on the Beach
You’re not dreaming – summer jobs on the beach do exist! If you’re a qualified lifeguard with an open water / lifeguard qualification, then contact Swansea Council directly to find out about seasonal opportunities. The City Council employs lifeguards to cover the Gower coastline, which includes a number of world-renowned beaches. There are other opportunities near the beach – such as working at Singleton Lake – offered during the summer months, which give you a tan as well as a healthy pay packet!
Temp Office Jobs
Swansea has several office and enterprise parks on its outskirts, with new buildings leaping up around the bay. The city is fairly unusual in that there are more offices and headquarters on the edges than in the centre, which – on the business side at least – is very quiet.
Data entry positions and telemarketing jobs are often offered in the summer months, aimed at students with a few weeks off. The work’s often mind-numbing but the pay is decent and at least you’ll be working with a team of likeminded students or travellers. As always, be careful when applying for job adverts that don’t specify what your duties will be – ‘sales and marketing’ positions, especially, sometimes pay by results.
Temporary Jobs – action list:
- Register with the agencies: head into town via Uplands to register with the temporary agencies, remembering to bring a printed copy or three of your CV.
- Events and bar staff: In Mumbles and the town centre, bars advertise for summer staff as early as spring. Also check with the Council regarding the summer festivals and potential stewarding opportunities.
- Pick up the jobs pages: the South Wales Evening Post publishes a job supplement online at This is South Wales.co.uk/
- Don’t forget to call the Council and University direct to find out about playscheme opportunities.
Finding accommodation in Swansea
Swansea University offers some of the best-value accommodation in the city, with summer rooms and apartments. Single bedrooms with ensuite or shared bathrooms, and apartments sleeping up to ten people, are available directly from the University.